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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

New DA Limited Lens Tests at DxO

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Publications/DxOMark-Reviews/Pentax-Prime-Lens-Series

The direct lens test pages for the pancakes are as follows:-

SMC DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited

SMC DA 21mm F3.2 AL Limited

SMC DA 40mm F2.8 Limited

SMC DA 70mm F2.4 Limited


Well, the results of those wider lenses are not that good. I have the DA21 and 70 pancakes and would agree that resolution wise the DA21 is really not "sharp" enough but it is not that worst neither, IMHO.

Note also that the T-stop measurement and scoring (which affects the overall test score) is not completely fair to all those Pentax Limited primes, which are known to be slow actually, for what they were meant to, i.e., for the compact and lightweight design.
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Walt's avatar

Walt · 681 weeks ago

The DXO conclusion/results align with dpreview, but do not match up with SLRgear or photozone, except for the 21. So who is right? My experience matches DXO for the DA 15 which I rented recently. I compared it to the DA 17-70 at 17. The corners of the 17 at f4 matched the corners on the 15 at f8. Howerver, the center area resolution on the 15 was slightly better. Good flare resistance (the 17-70 not so good here), close focuses and zero distortion. While it does not set resolution records, I can understand the DA 15 has it's fans. It is great for landscapes and hiking. By the way, my 17-70 may have failed SDM - it only shows MF on the camera ( cleaned the contacts). Luckily I got it fairly cheap. Perhaps I need that focus peeking feature of the K-01 after all.
1 reply · active 681 weeks ago
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Alex's avatar

Alex · 681 weeks ago

That sounds like an electrical (contacts or something) problem; if it's a SDM malfunction the camera won't show MF (when in AF mode). It would show AF but the SDM motor won't be able to focus.
Normally, one of the AF switches (camera or lens) must be set to MF for the camera to show that; I assume that was the first thing you tried. So, maybe one of those switches is defective?
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krasitsky's avatar - Go to profile

krasitsky 35p · 681 weeks ago

I never pay big attention to DXO. I think 40mm and 70mm are very sharp lens. I don't need those diagrams, I have my eyes and experience
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Alex's avatar

Alex · 681 weeks ago

So, the 70mm Limited has barely more or even less resolution than a Canikon kit zoom? Yeah, and pigs can fly.
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Michael A.'s avatar

Michael A. · 681 weeks ago

Will have DA15/F4 Lt any day over the new CZ T*15/F2.8 95mm filter MONSTER..good grief..CaNi boys can have it, reminds me LF 8X10" gear.. :o)
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Walt's avatar

Walt · 681 weeks ago

The DXO measurements may be worth looking at, but their rating number thing is bogus - it does not tell you much. They did give the DA 16-45 a very good score, and that is a great lens, but no better than the limiteds overall. The Sigma 17-50 f2.8 also scored well, and that too is an awesome lens. So sometimes they get it right.
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Richard's avatar

Richard · 681 weeks ago

My DA40mm 2.8 is very sharp at F2.8-4 compared to other manufacturers' lenses that I own. DXO says resolution is poor at these apertures. I disagree.
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Zapper 2's avatar

Zapper 2 · 681 weeks ago

I agree with DxO on this. The best of the bunch is the 70mm limited nice lens overall. 15mm DA is ho hum really it's not that great too slow at f4, worse it's not even that good on the edges and it's price is silly. 21mm DA is a weird lens a prime that is too slow to be of any serious use.

40mm f2.8 DA nice lens but it really needs to be f2 to make it worthwhile. You can only compare to other makers 35,mm lenses and they're all good at f2.8 and over stop faster. Pentax are too hung up on small size, optics that are not really as good as they should be. Great we love the nice build, but more work to be done here.
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AlexS's avatar

AlexS · 681 weeks ago

You agree with them claiming the 70mm is no better than a canikon kit zoom? Based on what, your feeling that a compact lens must be worse?
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Zapper 2's avatar

Zapper 2 · 681 weeks ago

I hate to say it but I don't think the limited range is really that good. Nice build, compact..but not that fast, and nothing special optics wise
Believe me most Canikon users couldn't care less about them either.
1 reply · active 681 weeks ago
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Alex's avatar

Alex · 681 weeks ago

Well, I KNOW at least some of them are very good (e.g. the 70mm and the 35mm).
Believe me, I couldn't care less about most Canikon users.
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Zapper 2's avatar

Zapper 2 · 681 weeks ago

Yeah but who sells more? Who are more successful in the camera business? Can't deny the fact most users are indifferent to the limited range. They do have some good ones no question, just not enough. And they need to update a few of them as well. Main problem is bang per buck (not great) the fast ones are overpriced, the other ones are too slow. They hit an uncomfortable point where they don't really nail it down like they should

DxO are bang on with that and I'm not a fan of that site. WTF is a 21mm f3.2 even being made for? Yawn inducing...
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AlexS's avatar

AlexS · 681 weeks ago

I don't know... what is the best selling camera phone brand? If you're using market share to measure quality then Hasselblad must be really awful - way worse IQ than an iPhone, and Lamborghini Aventador extremely slow compared to a Corolla.
So now DXOMark is accurately measuring why the lenses are being made for? Yawn, indeed - you Pentax bashers are boring.
By the way, I also have the 21mm; nice little lens, IMO not as good optically as the 70 or 35 (not unexpected) but definitely better than a kit zoom.

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